Retired summer soldiers

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Retired summer soldiers

Apr 18, 2006

by Cal Thomas

What is one to make of the six retired generals who, in recent days, have called not only for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, but have questioned whether U.S. troops should remain in Iraq much longer? Only that it will further embolden America's enemies who are betting that the United States is weak, morally corrupt and lacks the stomach for protracted conflict.

It is apparently less newsworthy that other retired generals, including Richard B. Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Tommy Franks, former commander of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, are supporting Rumsfeld.

Appearing on Al Arabiya television, Rumsfeld said, "Out of thousands and thousands of admirals and generals, if every time two or three people disagreed, we changed the secretary of defense of the United States, it would be like a merry-go-round around here."

On Fox News Channel, Rumsfeld said, "...it's a test of wills. If they can't win a battle, where can they win? The only place they can win is the capitals of Western countries. And with trying to persuade the American people and other western nations, free people, 'look, it isn't worth the cost, it isn't worth the time, it isn't worth the money.' And to get them to toss in the towel and say it's not worth the effort. Well, it is worth the effort because terrorists are against free people for behaving as free people."

Anyone doubting Rumsfeld should consider the testimony of Zacarias Moussaoui. During the death penalty phase of his trial for involvement in the 9/11 attacks, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Spencer asked Moussaoui if he thought the United States is destined to fall. He coldly replied, "I know it. I know it."

"You wake up every day to destroy the United States, don't you?" asked Spencer.

"To the best of my ability," Moussaoui responded.

Moussaoui said it was "my pleasure" to accept a suicide mission from Osama bin Laden. He mocked relatives of those who died on 9/11, saying he wishes more had been killed. He called those relatives who shed tears during their testimony "weak."

Moussaoui isn't retreating or calling for the resignation of Osama bin Laden or any other leader in the terrorist war on America and the West.

Neither is Iran retreating or in doubt about its nuclear weapons program. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad openly defies and ridicules the West and the United Nations, as they ponder meaningless resolutions and call for equally meaningless diplomacy against a religious nut case who thinks he has been commissioned by his false god to usher in Armageddon. One can be sure no Iranian general - active or retired - will be questioning Ahmadinejad's politics or theology, if he wants to be around for the "last battle."

The growing expressions of negativity in America about the war may be having the effect on public opinion desired by our enemies. A USA Today/Gallup Poll found nearly half of those surveyed said the United States "should mind its own business internationally and let other countries get along as best they can on their own."

That might have worked in another era before terrorism and intercontinental missiles. Today, it is unrealistic. As President Bush has repeatedly stated, if we don't defeat them over there, they will come after us over here. That means 9/11 will not have been a unique event.

In an April 14 editorial, The Wall Street Journal correctly noted: "The further we move away from 9/11 without another domestic attack, the more tempting it is to believe that awful day was an aberration, to think that we can return to normalcy if we merely leave Iraq and the other Middle Eastern regimes to their own purposes. But the forces of radical Islam aren't going to leave us alone merely because we decide that resisting them is too hard."

This isn't about one secretary of defense or six generals who don't like his policies. This is about winning the most dangerous and important war America has ever fought. By going public with their criticisms in the midst of the war, those generals are making victory more difficult. They are encouraging the enemy to fight on, believing we will ultimately surrender. There can be no good that will come from the comments of the former leaders of our volunteer soldiers, at least no good for what they once called "our side."

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[Tigermike 3,082]

Could there be books about to hit the shelves? An imminent publish date?

[rexbo 104]

Could there be books about to hit the shelves?  An imminent publish date?

231136[/snapback]

No, they are fighting for the VP slot under Hillary...

[JohnDeere 0]

"to think that we can return to normalcy if we merely leave Iraq and the other Middle Eastern regimes to their own purposes."

Would this also mean becoming independent from Middle Eastern regimes' oil? Ah, nevermind, I enjoy driving SUV 50 miles to work everyday.

[TexasTiger 13,206]

Men who spent their whole career serving their country having their patriotism questioned by another chicken**** Republican wimp. That didn't take long.

[Tigermike 3,082]

Men who spent their whole career serving their country having their patriotism questioned by another chicken**** Republican wimp.  That didn't take long.

231226[/snapback]

Who questioned their patriotism? Nor did it take long for you to mischaracterize what has been said. Typical.

[TexasTiger 13,206]

Men who spent their whole career serving their country having their patriotism questioned by another chicken**** Republican wimp.  That didn't take long.

231226[/snapback]

Who questioned their patriotism? Nor did it take long for you to mischaracterize what has been said. Typical.

231238[/snapback]

You obviously don't know the origin of the term "summer soldiers". Typical.

[Tigermike 3,082]

Men who spent their whole career serving their country having their patriotism questioned by another chicken**** Republican wimp.  That didn't take long.

231226[/snapback]

Who questioned their patriotism? Nor did it take long for you to mischaracterize what has been said. Typical.

231238[/snapback]

You obviously don't know the origin of the term "summer soldiers". Typical.

231240[/snapback]

You obviously think your generalized statements are truly profound. Typical, hypocritical rhetoric from the post commissar of the socialist democrat party.

[TexasTiger 13,206]

Men who spent their whole career serving their country having their patriotism questioned by another chicken**** Republican wimp.  That didn't take long.

231226[/snapback]

Who questioned their patriotism? Nor did it take long for you to mischaracterize what has been said. Typical.

231238[/snapback]

You obviously don't know the origin of the term "summer soldiers". Typical.

231240[/snapback]

You obviously think your generalized statements are truly profound. Typical, hypocritical rhetoric from the post commissar of the socialist democrat party.

231246[/snapback]

Nothing to say, but he posts like a madman.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Men who spent their whole career serving their country having their patriotism questioned by another chicken**** Republican wimp.  That didn't take long.

231226[/snapback]

No one has questioned their patriotism. What is being questioned is why they are choosing to speak out now. Questioning after the fact is viewed by many as nothing more than arm chair quarterbacking. Why weren't they asking these questions during the planning phase of the operation (of which they had input)? It appears the term chicken**** would fit these guys more comfortably. If they were too chicken to let their concerns be heard then, they need to shut their mouths now.

[TexasTiger 13,206]

Men who spent their whole career serving their country having their patriotism questioned by another chicken**** Republican wimp.  That didn't take long.

231226[/snapback]

No one has questioned their patriotism. What is being questioned is why they are choosing to speak out now. Questioning after the fact is viewed by many as nothing more than arm chair quarterbacking. Why weren't they asking these questions during the planning phase of the operation (of which they had input)? It appears the term chicken**** would fit these guys more comfortably. If they were too chicken to let their concerns be heard then, they need to shut their mouths now.

231251[/snapback]

You may not be, but Cal Thomas is when he refers to them as summer patriots. Refusing to stand up to the British opressor for your freedom is not comparable to stating that someone has incompetently jeopardized a war and led to more US troops deaths with bad decision making and needs to be replaced with a more competent person.

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country.  Tom Paine

[Tigermike 3,082]

Men who spent their whole career serving their country having their patriotism questioned by another chicken**** Republican wimp.  That didn't take long.

231226[/snapback]

Now that is rich! A dim who NEVER served calling a conservative chicken**** because of his OPINION! Hypocrisy at it's finest!

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Men who spent their whole career serving their country having their patriotism questioned by another chicken**** Republican wimp.  That didn't take long.

231226[/snapback]

No one has questioned their patriotism. What is being questioned is why they are choosing to speak out now. Questioning after the fact is viewed by many as nothing more than arm chair quarterbacking. Why weren't they asking these questions during the planning phase of the operation (of which they had input)? It appears the term chicken**** would fit these guys more comfortably. If they were too chicken to let their concerns be heard then, they need to shut their mouths now.

231251[/snapback]

You may not be, but Cal Thomas is when he refers to them as summer patriots. Refusing to stand up to the British opressor for your freedom is not comparable to stating that someone has incompetently jeopardized a war and led to more US troops deaths with bad decision making and needs to be replaced with a more competent person.

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country.  Tom Paine

231269[/snapback]

I read it as him questioning their motives, not their patriotism.

[japantiger 4,052]

For these Generals to be making comments now, is certainly suspect. At least one has released a book. Not sure about the others. I am afraid I don't believe in coincidences. These comments are certainly timed to sell the book.

Also, if they felt this strongly before, they should have put their troops ahead of their career. Not one resigned over the policy/program that they say was ill conceived and put in danger their troops. I am afraid I can't take these belated concerns very seriously.

A real example of how to handle this was McCarther. He openly disagreed with the President and General Marshal. He was told to get in line. He didn't and was fired. Had these generals "real" concerns and attacks of conscience, that is what they should have done. That is, they should have stated their case and lived with the consequences.